1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a plasma ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of engine cylinders and particularly to a plasma ignition system having (1) a power supply for supplying electric power to start a spark discharge in each plasma ignition plug and (2) a switching circuit for operatively connecting the power supply to each plasma ignition plug wherein the supply and circuit are separate from another power supply for supplying a large amount of electric power to continue an arc discharge subsequent to the spark discharge in each plasma ignition plug in order to provide high-temperature plasma gas combustion of a compressed air-fuel mixture in the corresponding engine cylinder and another switching circuit for operatively connecting the latter power supply to each plasma ignition plug, the number of the latter power supply being half that of the engine cylinders.